Drop-In Session with Idea the Artist

Portland musician Idea the Artist joined us on Sounds of PDX for a conversation about creating across disciplines, making music between cultures and genres, and her upcoming performance at Easyfolk Fest.

Known offstage as Inés, Idea the Artist is a Guatemalan-American singer, songwriter, painter, writer, archaeologist and folklorist. Those creative identities aren’t easily separated – and neither is her sound. When asked how she describes her music to someone hearing it for the first time, her answer was wonderfully precise: orchestral indie.

After hearing her perform live in the PRP studio alongside Tanner on guitar and Nate on trumpet, the description made perfect sense.

Inés and the band shared two songs during the interview: “Never Nothing” and “Are You Gonna Break My Heart?”

Easyfolk founder Joe Sanchez also joined the conversation to discuss the festival’s growth, its expansive definition of folk and its new chapter as a nonprofit supporting Portland’s independent music community.

Now in its third year, Easyfolk Fest takes place September 18 and 19 at Portland’5’s Winningstad Theatre. Idea the Artist closes the festival with a 9 p.m. performance on Saturday, September 19.

Listen to the complete conversation – and both live performances – from Sounds of PDX below.

Learn more about Idea the Artist at ideatheartist.com and find the complete Easyfolk Fest lineup and tickets at easyfolkmedia.com/fest.